The Scourge Of Racism
E-Book Availability 4/12-26
Released January 5, 2024
Download Your Copy
Now In The Strong Man Store!
To deny Christianity the religion of men on earth is long overdue severe divine judgment is to be completely out of touch with Bible history and reality. Yes, it is true that God is merciful and patient with us as my willfully weak and sinning brothers like to remind me. Yet, the instruction and events of the Bible show that God’s longsuffering patience and forbearance to judge His people finally does come to an end. That time has come for great Babylon and her daughters! Of the many centuries long sinful practices professing Christians have that you can be sure are lumped into the unfolding judgment of God in His house is racism by all that are guilty.
It is commanded (not suggested) by Jesus Christ that His followers love each other as He has loved us so the on looking world will know that we are His people (John 13:34-35). Clearly, for centuries professing Christians in great numbers have not obeyed the Lord as seen in the many unloving ways we do each other and in no less a manner than the evil practice of racism. As a result, we have failed to give the world the right picture of Christ in us as His followers. Prominent among those historically guilty of practicing racism are those of white, European descent, the dominant ethnicity in Western societies and many others by conquest.
Conquered and enslaved ethnic peoples were introduced to many forms of Christianity, but generally not shown its love driven racial and ethnicity harmonizing biblical reality in most cases as history records. Now, in this 21st century, the world is fragmented along racial and ethnic lines to such an extent, the fulfillment of the Lord’s prophecy about widespread conflict as an important sign of His near return is beginning to occur (Matthew 24:7a). Here in America, so many have in great delusion wanted to believe racism and ethnic strife was behind us, but as I lamented in my November 29, 2015 blog, “When The Glory Comes” under the category, Glory To God, not so!
To my ongoing grief out of loyalty to my Lord Jesus and His Kingdom first, rather than having been part of the solution, professed followers and churches identifying with Him are a major part of the continuing problem of racism in our nation.1 I repost this 2011 blog in part because it is still my hope that with godly sorrow and repentance from the sin of racism (2 Corinthians 7:8-11), Holy Ghost fired national racial and ethnic love driven harmony will finally come forth among all who profess to know Christ and led by those of the white ethnicity as is appropriate (Romans 5:5). Then maybe we can say something to the world about how it is supposed to work in Christ by our example.2
Until then, sadly, I must report that my most recent hopeful effort on mission from the Lord to be part of the solution at the church named in this blog repost failed as the reflexive and entrenched carnal attitudes of racism and religion displayed by the pastor and elders stymied my every attempt to fit in as I am and be accepted on biblical terms which I also shared with them. Though I was blessed to make a few lifelong friends from the experience, my departure for the sake of peace in December 2014 resulted in me returning to “my place” in a predominantly black American congregation.
This leads to the other important reason I am making this repost. It is to give the following solemn warning to all professing Christians: Jesus Christ means business about all of the commands and instructions of His will stated in His Word (John 15:9-17)! Therefore, realize the historic failure of professing Christians in their churches to love in celebration of God’s racial diversity initiative has brought and is bringing His severe judgment upon the guilty (Matthew 23:8; 1 Peter 3:8-12).
And as the ones who knew the Lord’s will in the Gospel and were given much to fulfill it in carrying it to the races and ethnic groups in the most far flung lands on the earth, those of white, European descent will suffer many more stripes for even defiant disobedience to His command to love in the willful practice of hating in racism what are supposed to be your brothers in Christ (Luke 12:47-48; 1 John 3:10-15, 4:20-21). Those stripes include watching their proudly beloved idol, Western Civilization, crumble to the dust (Isaiah 2:12-22). Intensifying global ethnic strife and persecution of Christians going forward will fully expose all that have no love to their eternal anguish (Matthew 25:31-46).
Originally Posted December 11, 2011
After much prayer with amazing answers from God, regular attendance, visitation with our prospective leaders and fellowship with the people, my wife, Mary and I sought membership and were received into Hinson Baptist Church of Portland. While at this late date in our nation’s existence it should not matter, it does, so, I share that the church is predominantly made up of Christian white Americans. This is one of the reasons my wife and I are convinced our Lord has sent us to Hinson that we may on purpose be vessels of His love in obedience to His command to all Christians found in John 13:34-35.
The historical wall of race that continues to divide churches in America is a great sin and tactical error that Satan has exploited to fullest advantage. Indeed, we Christians are disqualified to speak with authority on why worldly diversity initiatives of tolerance are wrong to include same sex relationships as acceptable when we cannot accept brothers and sisters in Christ that we know are racially different by God’s purposeful design. The picture of Heaven is that of the ethnicities gathered together in Christ before the Father’s throne in joyful assembly (Revelation 5:9-10). It is not perfection that enables that reality in Heaven as much as it is willful sin in us that hinders it on earth.
Growing up in the small community of Seaside, California in the sixties, we were forced by integration requirements to go to public schools where we mixed with persons from a variety of backgrounds. Amazingly, all things considered, we kids got along pretty well though I, among others felt compelled to hold white adults in authority accountable for being fair. Blacks, Whites, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders--you name it, all were represented. Did I mention we were sinners and not all honoring Christ’s command or empowered by the Holy Spirit to love each other? My wife had a similar experience growing up in San Jose. Our experiences of living in racial diversity no doubt have contributed to our willingness to obey the Lord’s leading to join Hinson.
If sinners of the world can celebrate and enjoy racial diversity, what is up with the people of God? Again, it is willful sin manifested in bigoted, racially intolerant attitudes and flesh driven religiosity that allows it. Those that are guilty must repent and submit in obedience to our Lord’s command to love each other. This can be done without abandoning the ethnicity and cultural heritage God blessed us to be born into. Those that require this are sinning against the Lord. Of their many attributes, the strong man and great woman of God celebrate God’s racial diversity initiative by accepting their own racial identity and honoring others in theirs as from Him! Get my book, The Strong Man Of God to learn more about the character and demeanor of His strong men and great women.
1 Read the May 4, 2014 blog, Moral Pressure Rightly Applied, under the category, Call To Repent.
2 Read the March 8 & 15, 2015, blog reposts Known By Our Love, Pt. 1 & 2, under the category, Instruction.
The stirring John Legend written song, Glory, he and rapper, Common, perform with a little help from a choir as the theme of the movie, Selma, has risen up in my heart again in the present version of the ongoing black American quest for racial acceptance. Well captured in the song and the current news images of students passionately protesting long tolerated systemic patterns of racial mistreatment in American society, its campuses and streets is the deeply troubling pathos involved in continuing to fight the many centuries long battle that cannot seem to be finally won. Even so, as the song asserts, the fight continues to be won at last when the Glory comes.
Glory is a fitting close to the film biopic, Selma, that chronicles the challenges and adversities slain Civil Rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. dealt with to safely and peacefully complete a march over the Edmond Pettus Bridge into the now famous Alabama city in 1965. Such marches were the cornerstone of King’s purposeful strategy of nonviolent resistance to America’s legally sanctioned racial discrimination against blacks that also involved students peacefully sitting in at segregated eating establishments across the South. The marchers and protesters stood up carrying in their hearts the long held aspiration of our slave forefathers for freedom, equality and justice.
Recently seeing tears on some faces of University of Missouri black students as they sang, prayed and expressed themselves vocally to protest incidents of racism they felt were ignored or not considered important enough by school officials to investigate coupled with the sometimes very angry marches of those that protest under the banner, “Black Lives Matter,” caused me to easily and compassionately empathize with them. Transported to my childhood a generation ago when the activities of the Civil Rights Movement unfolded in real time on my family’s black and white television screen, I too began to tear up at the sadness that this seemingly easy to resolve struggle continues.
While I do not find every single sentiment expressed in Glory biblical, I nevertheless, greatly appreciate Legend’s recognition and incorporation of the predominant Christian faith of our people going back to slavery. Also, his song includes the fight for what should be common human decency as just, an encouragement to peaceful protest, respect for Jesus Christ as victorious after a public crucifixion and of course, the exclusively Christian hope of His glorious return to make things right as themes. In my mind, these themes enable the song to be an appropriate final anthem for the struggle to a generation forced to face the reality this fallen world will not of its own do right.
Indeed, since Legend’s song invites the wisdom of the elders into the continuing struggle in this generation, I step up. I qualify to do so now after nearly sixty years of experience being black and having the requisite mental and emotional battle scars from wounds suffered in the struggle with secular white as well as professed Christians that practice racism. First, understand as God has judged and declares in His Word, all human beings are sinners unwilling and unable to line ourselves up with His perfect standard (Romans 3:9-20). Nevertheless, God in love, grace and mercy has provided deliverance and help for the willing in Jesus Christ (John 3:16-21; Romans 3:21-26).
Obstinate white men guilty as sinners have resisted doing right from slavery because racism is not just about skin color, but guarding selfish privileges and opportunities--economic and otherwise. In light of this, consider also your generation’s wholesale embrace of the world’s sinfully invented political correctness, tolerance, multiculturalism, gender and sexual equality and how these concepts have not brought the long quest of our slave forefathers to full realization. In fact, in spite of these concepts and a very morally tolerant African-American President, your generation is still marching to protest racism! A holy God is constrained to help because so many marching are in rebellion against Him as willful sinners (Proverbs 14:34; Jeremiah 5:20-29; Romans 1:18-2:11).1
Second, understand that the resistance in guilty white men to do right and your own rebellion is not only driven by sin within, but outside forces are at work too. Ultimately, the struggle of our and all people that long for a world of love, acceptance, peace and justice is opposed by fallen angels led by Satan (Ephesians 6:12). This is why finally, the struggle will continue until the Day I am pleased to say is near; the Day when Jesus Christ, the Glory of God comes in wrath to insert Himself and His Kingdom into this world (Revelation 1:7-8, 6:12-17, 11:15-19, 19:11-16)!
Wholeheartedly come back to the biblical faith of our Christian slave and free forefathers so that you will not suffer the fate of those who mistreat you and all sinners before it is too late! For the kingdoms of fallen men and angels will be destroyed, the victory of Heaven justly won and His righteous reign rolled out! 2 Those who waited on Christ living as it pleases Him (1 Thessalonians 1:6-10, 2:10-12) will joyfully stand in that Day with elect Jews in His triumphant, eternal Kingdom (Isaiah 25:6-10a).3
1 Read the June 2015 blogs under the category, Black History.
2 Read the July 26, 2015 blog repost, Final Deliverance From The Evil Oppressor under the category, Encouragement.
3 With a learner’s heart, I challenge my fellow black American readers to set aside the convictions you may have from the worldview of a victim, to consider a biblical worldview of the enslavement and suffering of our people presented on our From Slavery To Victory Web Site; reading all the way through the brief presentation to the Victory Page. Follow this link, https://fromslaverytovictory.org/Healing/The-Journey to be taken directly to the presentation.
Join The Strong Man Of God Resources Conversation!
Get Your Copy Of The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics Today!
Your purchase supports restoring men, families and communities through Strong Man Ministries!
Purchase It Now